CandleStyle: Scented Candles Blog

Thinking about the areas that you wish to scent with candles, there are a few guidelines that you can use to determine how much scent is too much. The candles sold at CandleStyle are always rated on scent strength and burning capacity, so you might be able to gauge just how much aroma you keep going in the tiny half bath as opposed to the amount of scent you need for the front room and foyer.

Taking lavender as an example, this popular scent is said to sooth and calm, but it can also be extremely potent and has the tendency to clash heavily with certain flower and spice scents. For example, having vanilla in the dining room and lavender in the sitting area should produce a seamless and intoxicating aroma. Burning cinnamon apple in the kitchen and lavender in the adjoining dining room, however, could cause headaches and a bit of a stomach-turning effect.
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When crafting candles, the artist is called upon to use scents, colors, and a lack of both in order to cover all bases where public consumption is concerned. Many people love the feel and ambiance of lit candles, but find that scented candles are overwhelming. It is extremely important to choose the scent that works best for the mood that you are trying to create for your surroundings. If scent is not needed for the mood of the room, candles tend to cost less.

Scents are infused in one of two ways. First, there are liquid scents that can be tailored by the candle maker in order to create stronger or weaker end results. These tend to offer a longer lasting aroma, and quite a more convincing one as well. By convincing, I mean that these liquids can be formulated and mixed and measured so that the most natural and truthful scent is created during the burn.
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A candle is a relatively simple thing, wouldn’t you agree? It begun as a way for humans to control and direct the strength and light of fire, and as such has been one of the most important mainstays in human culture since the Stone Age. What is it, though, aside from the romantic, elegant, and dramatic shadows that it throws, that makes this modern, technologically advanced, electronically inclined world embrace the simple candle even now, when it is not a necessity at all?

It can warm a small space, if given the time, but we don’t think about that so much. The rise in scented candle popularity has begun to take on many shapes and forms, becoming a marketing monster all on its own, but are we really just buying scented candles to mask unpleasant odors and cover up the stench of neglected areas? Are we falling for the “ancient Zen tradition” that they’re selling at the posh spas across the globe? Or is there something much deeper, more reflective of the human spirit, that keeps us from putting out that small flame for good?
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For those who are riding the shirt tails of soy through the organic revolution, the answer to that question will be, most assuredly, a resounding “No”! But for those of us who live in the real world, where pigs don’t fly and black beans are way tastier (and prettier in a salsa) than soy beans, the answer to that question will always be a very strong “Yes”! Soy beans are really good for your heart. They are easy to grow and have many uses in the culinary and health care worlds, but they lack the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound, and they do not burn crystal clean. They are, after all, merely beans.

My point is this: you cannot squeeze a soy bean and drink soy milk. You cannot mash a soy bean and render soy wax for candles. It is not possible to squish a few soy beans together to make tofu. All of these soy products are made possible through the use of chemicals, specialized methods of preparation, and the rendering and rearranging of the natural materials found in the soy plant, not to mention the addition of many elements which are in no way natural. This means that the entire claim that soy has to being an “all natural, organic, miracle product” is rather bogus.
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Most of us search and sift for that perfect color and size that we think will enhance the core colors of the rooms we love. We also give ourselves headaches by sniffing and smelling hundreds of candles before we choose the fragrance that best suits our tastes. These factors are extremely important to us upon purchase, but what’s even more important about the candles we buy will not necessarily come into play until we get them home.

There are 4 basic families of wicks available for candles today, offering over 100 unique wicks and designs to manufacturers and crafts houses to choose from. Braiding, plaiting, and knitting the fibers of the wick so that they produce a material dense and robust enough to offer a good, even burn has taken some years to master, and chandlers must pay careful and close attention to the wick that they choose for the size and composition of the candles that they plan to make.

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So, I thought we could throw out a few numbers that help to explain just where the popularity of and demand for scented candles actually comes from, and a few of these fun little statistics might actually help you to determine who to buy for in the future. After all, 86% of the population, both male and female, have stated that they are highly appreciative of receiving candles as gifts for a wide variety of holidays, events, and occasions. No more wondering what to give that impossibly difficult person who has everything, right?

Of the candle users polled, over 42% described their usage of candles to be primarily in the living room, stating that scent was the most important factor of purchase. The remainder, or those who preferred to use unscented candles, admitted that they used candles to cozy up, warm, and comfort a room. This did not apply to the holiday seasons alone, either. Only 35% of annual candle sales takes place between November and February, leaving the remaining 65% spread out rather evenly through the year.

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Depending on the climatic conditions of your home town, there are many fascinating ways in which to embellish your outdoor space with candles. For those who have indoor/outdoor space, such as Florida rooms, screened porches, or sun porches, a candle garden can add a glow and amazing focal point for the interior of the home as well as the outdoors. Whatever your situation, this type of project can usually be accomplished with spare gardening odds and ends that you already have in the shed.

As a general rule, the more robust candles work well for the outdoors, as even the slightest and mildest breezes can dance or extinguish a small wick candle. That said, try to find some of the old planting pots and smaller terracotta pots that your landscaping came in, and use these as votive holders. You don’t need to line them unless you want to be able to see a great deal of the candle coming up from the pot.

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Getting ready for the Holidays?  What better way to show your affection is by giving a customized scented candle.  Candlestyle has rolled out a new promotion for the holidays by offering a new custom label designed by you.  For example, you can design the label of your candle of choice with your own images and followed with a a quick messages to express your thoughts…”Happy Holidays, with Love, Jane doe”  or” Thinking of you through the Holidays, Love Always, Jane Doe, or Merry Christmas or Happy Halloween, Love, Jane Doe.

With this new feature we added to our scented candles the new custom labels are endless.  You could also do a funny candle like the one we already offer “Butt Naked”, like “Stinky Feet” or Sweaty Armpits”  and have the candle actually smell like roses. FYI:  “Butt Naked” really smells like sweet apples, honey dew melon with hints of prickly pears.  This candle has a wonderful fresh scent that fills the air with beautiful citrus aromas.

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There seems to be a misconception about soy wax candles versus paraffin wax scented candles, and I am here to set the record straight. As far as soy, if you research raw soy products you will find that soy wax cost about 30% less than high-grade paraffin and the scent oil retention is only 6% compared to a possible 12% for paraffin recipes. This means that soy candle cost a lot less to produce than our current line.

However, the industry tries to charge more because it is supposedly in some way, shape or form more environmentally friendly. For whatever reason, people tend to equate soy with “GOING GREEN” and more eco-friendly than its paraffin counterpart. A contention that simply isn’t true.

Did you know that the US used to be the world’s largest exporter and consumer of soy? We no longer are because we converted soy crops for crops that were better suited to alternative fuel like corn. You know who’s the world’s largest producer of soy today? Brazil. You know why? To keep up with the ever increasing demand for soy from China (now the world’s leading consumer of soy).

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